Whatever your appetite, grow vegetables in a site with six to eight hours of full sun and good air circulation.

Get rid of any nutrient-stealing weeds, then prepare a fertile soil that will promote good harvests.

Incorporate 4 to 6 inches of compost into the soil, or work in 2 pounds of a complete fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed.

Ensure good drainage. Use a raised bed or work the soil up into ridges 8 to 12 inches high.

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Fall planting guide

Beets, seed: mid-September to mid-October

Broccoli, transplant: mid-September-October

Bush beans, seed: late August-September

Cabbage, transplant: mid-September to mid-October

Carrots, seed: mid-October to mid-November

Cauliflower, transplant: mid-September to mid-October

Collards, seed: mid-September-October

Cucumber, seed: August

Garlic, cloves: October

Kale, seed/transplant: September-November

Kohlrabi, transplant: mid-September-November

Leek, seed/transplant: October-November

Lettuce, leaf, seed/transplant: October-November

Mustard, seed: mid-September-October

Mustard, transplant: mid-September-November

Onion, seed: mid-October to mid-November

Peas, snap, seed: late-September-October

Radicchio, seed: late September-October

Radish, seed: September-late November

Spinach, seed: October-late November

Summer squash, seed/transplant: early September

Swiss chard, seed/transplant: September-October

Tomatoes, transplant: August

Turnip, seed: September-November

Winter squash, seed/transplant: mid-August

Select the best cultivars for this area and plant at the best time. Check the Harris County Extension website (harris.agrilife.org) for recommendations.

Decide if you prefer seed or transplants. Transplants save time and produce earlier harvests. Growing plants from seed is cheaper, and you can experiment with more cultivars. Protect transplants from high temperatures with fiber row cover.